Dewey application for web resources

[Wayne Daniels]

Here's an application of a familiar idea to make access to Net
resources a good deal easier than it is at present. Please take a
look at "Expanding Universe : a classified search tool for amateur
astronomy"
(http://www.mtrl.toronto.on.ca/centres/bsd/astronomy).
This is a site created by myself and some colleagues at the Metro
Toronto Reference Library. It offers a very large number of astronomy
links, but what makes it unusual is the design. The site is organized
according to a modified form of the Dewey Decimal Classification. The
result is, in effect, a set of virtual library shelves, whose "books"
can be browsed by clicking on each in turn. Access is through either
Dewey menus or through keywords derived from Dewey headings. By
incorporating the Dewey class number into the URL for each successive
page, the file structure is made to match the classification
hierarchy. The site thus allows for coherent growth without
sacrificing ease of use. The technique used does not presuppose a
great deal of techical sophistication and makes it possible to
develop tailored subject resource gateways for science and other
special libraries. 

I hope you find it of interest.

Cheers.

Wayne Daniels
Metro Toronto Reference Library
wdaniels at gwmail.mtrl.toronto.on.ca